Choice
By DarkHybridChild
Rating: T/PG-13
Pairs: Alot, but main will be Tidus/Rikku. If you really wanna know all the pairs so far, look this up on Ao3 for all the ship tags.
Warnings: Uh, het, shoujo-ai, shounen-ai, swearing, typical ff style violence, magic, time shenanigans.
Notes: I'd had this Summoner AU idea for years and just never got off my ass to write it. Well, I finally started, woo-hoo. This story will be told in short-ish chapters done to prompts so if things flow a bit weirdly, I apologize. This is the first thing I've written in a whole so I hope you all enjoy it! Read on, dear people.
"You are unhappy." She spoke.
Tidus turned, leveling his gaze upon the woman he'd come to know in the Farplane.
"Arlumia... How are you here?" He asked confusedly.
She simply smiled in response, holding her arms out. Pyreflies, and magic swirled around her and she took on an aetherial-like glow. "Mortal bindings do not hold me, let's put it that way. I am more than a God, but less than Human. But more importantly, I am your friend. And I've found you to be unhappy, that will not do. What is it that troubles you?"
He stared in a bout of awe at the display, before her words sank in and he found himself smiling in return. She was still the same. Whatever she was, it didn't matter. She was his friend, like she said. He found himself turning his gaze once more out towards the scenery, overlooking the small village of Besaid.
"I... Is it wrong of me to wish things had turned out different?" He asked hesitantly.
The woman slowly walked to stand beside the other, long pink hair lightly trailing in the breeze before she shook her head. Glacier-coloured eyes took in the image below. "No, I don't think so. There are many, many people who wish for things to be different than they are. That's human nature, and the knowledge of the unknown. What could have been. What is it you wish was different?"
"Well... I... I look at Yuna, and how the people still come to her, still look to her... And how she still has trouble saying no. I wish... I wish sometimes it could've been different in that she wasn't the great, High Summoner that saves Spira, you know? Not that I wish it on anyone else, but..." He scratched his head, tilting it to the side.
"Being what I was-am-you know what I mean... Could it have been me?" He asked.
Arlumia's brow rose as she turned towards the other. "You wish to be the Summoner?"
"Not exactly," He answered again, looking at a loss for words. "But I mean. like I said, I don't want the burden on anyone else. And well, there's something Rikku said that makes sense about things. "If something needs to be done, and there's no one else to do it, do it yourself to the best of your ability." So that started my thinking... If there wasn't anhyone else I'd have take her place, then... Why not me? But that's wishful thinking, isn't it?"
The woman hummed, looking thoughtful for a long moment. "If I said it were possible and not some tall-tale dream or wish, would you believe me?" She asked.
Tidus looked surprised, blue eyes widening. "It's possible?" He asked.
"When you're me, yes. I could certainly grant your wish. But... Is it truly what you want?" She asked. "To have things be that way, or to actually change the course of events that have been set in stone this time around?"
"What...do you mean?" He asked.
"I could change things, so that what you want has already happened and none would be the wiser to it. You would be the High Summoner, not Yuna. Or..." She trailed off, looking up towards the sky.
"Or?" The Ace asked.
"Or I could change the beginning, just a little. Send you back-all the way back-and you can shape the events as you will. You will still be the Summoner, but the choices and outcome will be up to you." She answered, turning her gaze back to Tidus.
"You have a choice to make. Whatever it is, whether to keep things as they are or change them, make sure you're absolutely sure because you must live with the outcome."
"Will everything really be different if I go back?" He questioned.
"That's truly up to you. Only you will remember this time and events. Whether you choose to play along with fate again, or change it... The choice is yours." Arlumia responded.
"Then... I want to go back. Really. I want things to be different." He answered.
She smiled again. "I understand."
She took on that glow again, another mass of pyreflies and magic began swirling about. The scenery around them began to fade away and soon, they were seemingly standing in the midst of space. Stars and planets glided around them.
Tidus looked around with wide eyes again.
"Be not afraid, this is only momentary." Arlumia assured. With a wave of her delicate-looking hands the glow engulfed the area around them and when it cleared, an image of Zanarkand reflected back at them. Time seemed to be stopped, as no one was moving. It was eerily still and quiet.
"This is..." Tidus began as he looked around. "Home?"
Arlumia chuckled quietly. "The beginning. The event that brought you to Spira. Come with me," She held her hand out to him.
Still a little stunned, he reached out and took her hand.
She gently pulled him through the large crowd, they easily glided through them as if they did not exist until they reached the Boat that housed Tidus. Standing there frozen in place was him.
"This is where you begin again. Once you step into yourself and let go of my hand, time will resume. As your friend, I heard your pain and trouble. And as that friend, with the power to help, have granted your wish. We shall meet again, some time. But for now, your choice has been made. Are you ready?" She asked, turning her ice-coloured eyes towards the Blitzer.
He stared at the image of himself for a long moment, before looking back to her, giving her hand a light squeeze and a grin rose to his face. "...Yeah. Yeah, I'm ready. A chance... That's all I need. Thanks, Arlumia." He responded.
He took a deep breath before stepping into the image of himself. As he turned, he looked at the woman one last time, before letting go of her hand.
Her smile widened. "May your new Journey be to your liking. I will be watching over you." She murmured.
Before the blonde could respond, the imagery around him rippled. With a blink, she vanished, instead in her place was the Fayth he recognized.
"You-" He started.
"It begins." The Fayth said quietly.
"Yeah, I know." Tidus responded, nodding. His reaction surprised the Fayth.
"I know what you are-and before things really get diecy, would you hear me out?" He asked.
"...Interesting. Go on." The Fayth replied.
"This is going to sound a little presumptuous of me, maybe, but you're a Fayth, right?
"...Correct. But how did you-"
"Let's just say I'm full of surprises and not as dumb as I look."
"...What is it you wished to say?"
"Well, it's more like ask, really, but... Can I form a pact with you? Sin is coming, I can feel that. There's this energy in the air that's more than the excitement for the Blitzball tournament."
"...You can feel it?" The Fayth asked again, surprised.
"Yeah... Look, I don't know exactly how to explain it all, but let me ask, does the name Arlumia mean anything to you?"
The Fayth was silent for a long moment. "...I see."
"You see?" Tidus questioned confusedly.
"You have made a deal with her. I cannot fathom the details, but if that is the case, then... Yes, I believe we can form a pact. Untested you may be, you have grand capabilities... Are you sure, though? The life of a Summoner is-"
"I know. I know already. I saw it all before. The life of a Summoner is hard. The expectations, the training, I get it. I'm not going into this blindly, I promise."
"...Very well. If you know, then my power, you may have. Receive my blessing, and join my Soul to yours."
In that moment, Tidus began to glow, and he waved his hand in the familiar way he used to cast, before bringing his other hand up towards the sky. "Come, Bahamut!" He said loudly.
In that moment, Bahamut's sigil formed around the Fayth and in another moment, the figure changed shape from human-like to the mighty King of Dragons.
"This will do," Bahamut rumbled.
"Let's go, it's time." Tidus urged.
"You are right. I will see you soon." The Fayth promised before vanishing, and when they did, time seemed to resume around them.
It was then as the blonde heard the cheering of his fans that things really began to sink in that he really, truly did have a second chance.
He wasn't gonna waste it.
"Come on, come on, make way! Star comin' through!" He yelled as he began to make his way through the crowd.
'This time... Yeah, it'll be different for sure.'